Government to decide on NICE project after Cabinet sub-committee report: Satish Jarkiholi

The State government will decide on the future course of action on the Bengaluru–Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (NICE) project after a Cabinet sub-committee submits its report, Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi told the Legislative Council on Wednesday.

Replying to Congress member Ramoji Gowda, the Minister said the project was based on an agreement signed between the State government and the project company in 1992. The agreement envisaged the construction of the Bengaluru–Mysuru road corridor and the development of five townships along the route.

Mired in litigations

However, the project has been mired in litigation for several years and the agreement has not been fully implemented, he said.

“In this background, a Cabinet sub-committee headed by the Home Minister has been constituted, which will study the matter comprehensively and submit a report to the government, based on which further action will be decided,” Mr. Jarkiholi said.

Terms of agreement

Mr. Gowda sought detailed clarification on the terms of the agreement, the period of the concession, and whether it had been renewed. He also asked whether the government had approved the toll fees being collected from the public on the NICE road and whether any committee had been constituted to revise the toll rates.

The Minister said the project agreement provides for the collection of toll from vehicles, including two-wheelers, on the corridor.

Maintenance issues

The member also raised concerns over traffic congestion, accidents and lack of maintenance reported on the NICE road, and asked whether the government had taken steps to address these issues. He further sought to know what mechanisms were in place to monitor maintenance of the road, act on complaints from the public, and impose penalties in case of violations by the concessionaire.

Mr. Gowda also asked whether the government was considering bringing the NICE road under direct government control or taking steps to reduce toll charges in the future.

Land acquisition

Earlier in the discussion, the member pointed out that nearly 20,193 acres of land had been acquired for the project, including around 13,000 acres earmarked for township development. However, he said the proposed townships had not been developed so far, nor had the land been denotified, even though the implementation period of the project had expired. Given these issues, he urged the government to clarify its stand on the future of the project.

Mr. Jarkiholi said the Cabinet sub-committee would examine the status of the project, contractual obligations, toll collection, maintenance issues and land acquisition before submitting its recommendations, which would guide the government’s next steps.